


You Can't Always be Happy

by writerlester



Category: Game Grumps
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, M/M, i think this is a good read for anyone needing a bit of comfort or reminder, in which Dan discovers that Arin isn't always a walking ball of happiness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-09
Updated: 2017-04-09
Packaged: 2018-10-17 00:12:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,616
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10582380
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/writerlester/pseuds/writerlester
Summary: Sometimes, what you really need is a hug from your best friend.





	

The office was eerily quiet.

Danny wasn’t used to silence dominating throughout the Grump Space. Usually, Ross would be making cheeky comments, or Suzy would be organizing something while laughing, or Brian and Vernon would be tossing sassy remarks at each other. But tonight, no one was around and it was completely silent.

He walked in, flinching slightly at the  _ bang _ the door left as he shut it behind him. It wasn’t even that loud, but compared to the emptiness around him, it seemed too noisy, disrupting the rare peace.

_ Arin should be here,  _ Danny thought to himself, setting his bag down carefully and making his way to Arin’s desk. It really wasn’t that late, only around six, but everyone must’ve gone home already. 

Arin had texted him asking for a good time to get just a few episodes in. They were cramming recordings in anywhere they could get it, since both were busy preparing for NSP’s upcoming tour and working on their YouTube Red show.

He opened his mouth to say Arin’s name, but it died in his throat once he realized Arin’s desk chair was empty. No silly, friendly artist was waiting to greet him. 

An uneasy ball of nerves stuck itself in Danny’s chest. This wasn’t normal. The pair had recorded alone in the office countless times before, but he couldn’t even think of a time when Arin hadn’t gone out to greet him when he arrived. Or, in the rare instances when he was here before Arin, the artist sought him out right away to envelope him in a big hug.

Arin enjoyed giving hugs, especially to his friends, and Danny was eternally grateful for that, because Arin’s hugs were legendary. Nothing felt better than wrapping your arms around Arin’s soft body and letting a pair of strong arms squeeze the life out of you. There was something familiar and comforting about Arin’s hugs, like you’d found a home. Sometimes, Danny liked to just lean against Arin on the couch and let himself cuddle into the younger man, because Arin exuded warmth and happiness all the time.

So the empty atmosphere around him made him anxious. The Grump Space was dominated by Arin’s presence. It was always warm and welcoming, just like him. But now it was cold and desolate.

“Arin?” he asked meekly, but it was such a quiet plea that he could hardly even hear himself. The echoes of his own call seemed to mock him, fading away with no sight of the animator.

Uncertainly, he started toward the Grump room, figuring that was his best bet on Arin’s location if he wasn’t out here.

Poking his head in, he felt a wave of relief at the sight of the back of Arin’s head on the other side of the couch. Stepping inside, he let his shoulders relax and he smiled. “Hey, Ar--”

At the sound of his voice, Arin’s form tensed and his head ducked down, as though he were trying to hide his face. Danny’s smile instantly dropped as he realized the warm atmosphere that usually surrounded Arin was gone.

The artist’s hands were clutching around his arms, and he was drawn into himself. For someone so large, he seemed in that moment so small. His head was down, and his hair loose as it hung like drapes, shielding his face.

Danny cautiously approached the other man. He was a little shaken. He’d never seen Arin like this before, and it was a bit unnerving. Loud, dominating, cheerful, full-of-life Arin was now a timid, small, shaking man. Usually bold and talking a mile a minute, Danny could now see him pressing his lips together to repress sobs.

It was so  _ wrong.  _ Completely wrong. Arin was never sad. Arin was never upset. Arin was never so distraught he couldn’t even look Danny in the eyes. This was so foreign and the most un-Arin thing Danny had ever seen in his life. He wanted to demand who this person was. This wasn’t Arin. This wasn’t his best friend.

But these confused thoughts all melted away when a soft cry leaked out from the artist’s mouth, a pitiful whine that gave way to quiet, sorrowful sobs. Danny immediately reached forward, climbing on the couch beside his friend and grabbing Arin’s shaking arms. 

“Arin? Buddy? Hey, look at me.”

Danny almost wished he hadn’t asked when Arin did look up to meet his worried gaze. His eyes were shiny with tears, red and swollen. His mouth was pink from biting his lips to stifle the sounds of his sobs. Tear tracks burned down his cheeks, leaving blazing trails in their wake. Danny felt his heart break.

“Dan?” the name came out trembled and uncertain, and Danny wished more than anything he could banish to hell whatever was making Arin cry. But right now, he needed to comfort him as best he could.

“Yeah, I’m right here, Big Cat,” he reassured the younger man, reaching up to wipe away at the unwanted tear tracks. “Don’t worry. I’ve got you. What’s wrong?”

As if he was just realizing Danny was there, Arin pressed his forehead into Danny’s chest and curled his hands into Danny’s shirt, a fresh sob contorting his body. Danny felt his heart physically ache as he attempted to soothe the artist by gently rubbing his back and whispering nonsensical phrases of comfort.

After a few moments of Arin trying to contain his wails, a faint reply drifted out from where his head was buried in Danny’s shirt: “I...just...had a b-bad day.”

“A bad day?” Danny repeated, eyebrows creasing slightly in confusion. “Did something happen in the office? Did you get in an argument with someone?”

“N-No,” came the fragile response. “I meant...a bad mental health day.”

Realization dawned over Danny’s face, and he wrapped his arms around Arin’s trembling form protectively. “Do you want to talk about it, Big Cat?”

It took several minutes and a few tries, but soon Arin started speaking. “I just...I a-always want to help my friends w-when they’re sad, y’know? So I do. But s-sometimes...it feels like I always have to be the strong one...the guy that’s always s-smiling or being positive...as though I don’t have any problems...because I think i-it’s unfair to be sad when I’m trying to help my friends...and then...I just tell myself that I  _ can’t _ be sad. B-But then I am...and...I’m sorry…”

“No, Arin, don’t be sorry,” Danny murmured, rocking his shaking frame, but Arin wasn’t done.

“And, Dan, I try...I try so hard to always be p-positive and encouraging. But I-I can’t! I can’t do it anymore. I c-can’t be happy all the damn time!” Arin’s sobs interrupted him, and a fresh wave of tears flowed out.

Danny felt like the biggest idiot in that moment, as he held his friend. “I’m sorry, Arin. I’m so, so sorry.”

“Why? Why would you need to be sorry?” Arin hiccuped, drawing back a bit to wipe at his eyes. “It’s n-not your fault.”

“But I should’ve noticed!” Danny cried, gripping Arin’s knees. “I’m sorry, Arin. You always have an atmosphere of joy following you. You always come and hug everyone every time you see them. You smile and act like an idiot, you always listen when we have problems, but I’ve very rarely ever heard you talk about your own problems...even past ones. I’m sorry.”

“Please don’t be sorry,” Arin murmured, grabbing at a box of tissues on the table. “It isn’t anyone’s fault. I just...tried to _ be _ too much.”

Danny watched his movements in silence, as Arin mopped up his face and tried to get his breathing back to normal. His chest felt heavy and he was saddened that he hadn’t noticed before.

Like Arin said though, he couldn’t really beat himself up. Arin had just always been a pleasure to be around. They’d had a lot of fun and no matter what they did, it was a blast because Arin was there. He supposed that he was just so carefree and happy while hanging out with Arin that it drowned out the possibility for any sad thoughts to come out.

Still, he couldn’t believe how no one had noticed.

“Arin,” he said gently, “from now on, if you’re sad or upset, you’ll come to me, won’t you?”

Arin looked at him, his brown eyes wide. “That’s okay?”

Danny’s throat closed in pain. “Wha--hell yeah it’s okay, dude. It’s  _ more  _ than okay. Any time, any place, if you need me, I’ll be there as fast as possible. No matter what. Don’t forget that your friends can also be there for you, Big Cat. We love and care about you.”

Arin turned away, but Danny could see him wiping at his eyes. It was humbling to see the impact those words had on him.

“Thanks, man. That means a lot to me.”

“Do you need anything else, Big Cat?”

Arin nodded after a moment. “Yeah.”

“What’s that?”

“I...I’d really just like a hug.”

“Course. C’mere, who’s my special guy?”

A quiet giggle came from Arin as they leaned back on the couch, Arin snuggling into Danny’s chest. The room felt warmer now, and the sight of a tiny smile on Arin’s face made Danny feel a thousand times better.

He rubbed Arin’s arm lightly. Things would always be cheerful and wonderful when Arin was happy.  _ However, _ Danny reminded himself,  _ no one can be happy all the time. It’s okay to be sad. _

And now, hugging one of the happiest people on the planet, he could see Arin’s tear stains fading away, and he held him tight.

**Author's Note:**

> Hey everyone. Now I know what you're thinking. "This bitch is posting Game Grumps oneshots when she hasn't updated Sugar on Top?!" Yeah. Well. Let this piece be, okay? I needed a pick-me-up, and I have a feeling other people do, too. I needed this reminder, because I was always that friend--never allowing myself to be sad. It's okay to be sad. It's healthy.
> 
> Anyway.
> 
> Thanks for reading. I hope I brought a little bit of joy to your life. I send hugs to everyone. Side note: I've always wanted to give Arin Hanson a hug. I bet they're awesome.
> 
> Let me know what you think!


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